


Overworked

by Ethereal_Blade



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Genei Ibun Roku #FE | Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22566517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereal_Blade/pseuds/Ethereal_Blade
Summary: Itsuki hasn't been sleeping well lately. Tsubasa investigates.Warning: this work contains some late/end-game spoilers. Read at your own discretion.
Relationships: Aoi Itsuki/Oribe Tsubasa
Kudos: 25





	Overworked

Itsuki Aoi flipped open another report and skimmed through its contents. _All right. I guess that means that that one goes…_ His eyes scanned through the various opened drawers and cabinets, searching for a particular file folder. “There.” The young man turned President of Fortuna Entertainment smiled, meticulously sliding the report into its designated folder. _Almost done._ After checking one more time to make sure he had filed the report properly, Itsuki turned his attention back to his desk, or rather, the pile of paperwork resting on top of it. A small sigh escaped his lips. _If I get them done today, then I won’t have to worry about it backlogging in the future._ He glanced at his watch. _11:00 P.M._ “Okay,” he exhaled, “I got this.”

* * *

_Touma (10:32 PM) – itsuki, you holdin’ up okay?_

_Touma (10:43 PM) – hey, my phone shows that you’re still at the office. remember to take a break now and then, yeah?_

_Tsubasa (10:43 PM) – Don’t overdo it Itsuki. Just take it one step at a time if you have to._

_Touma (10:47 PM) – tsubasa, can you go see if everything’s okay over there? i think he might have muted his phone. i’d go myself, but you’re the only one he gave a key to._

_Tsubasa (10:58 PM) – Okay. I’m on my way, Itsuki!_

* * *

“Itsuki?”

“….zzz……zzz..”

No answer. Huh. Tsubasa frowned and gently pushed open the door to his office. “Itsuki, it’s way pa—oh!” The boy in question was fast asleep in his chair, snoring lightly with his head on his keyboard. Reports and other paperwork lay strewn across his desk, and his phone was nowhere to be seen. The lights were still on. Tsubasa smiled and shook her head. _Oh, Itsuki._ Silently, she made her way over to his side and draped her sweater over him. Then, as quietly as she could, she took an extra chair and set it on the other side of his desk. When she was confident that he was asleep, Tsubasa sat down and began to arrange the mess on the table. _Does he seriously think he can finish all of this tonight?_ Unfortunately, the shuffling of paper seemed to be too loud a sound for the boy sleeping opposite her; it didn’t take Itsuki long to return to consciousness.

“…Tsubasa?”

Tsubasa stood up and brought the chair over to his side. She gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to wake you. I-I wasn’t sure what to do after I found you, so I tried my best to make myself useful while I waited.”

“Mmm…um, Tsubasa…? Why are you--, he yawned, “what are you doing here?”

“I was worried. Touma noticed that your phone said you were still in the office, so I decided to come check up on you.”

“Oh…thank you.”

“Mhmm.”

“Yep!”

She squirmed in her seat, suddenly finding it difficult to look at him. This was getting awkward, fast.

Itsuki didn’t seem affected by it at all, as usual. “You don’t have to worry about me, Tsubasa. I’ll be okay,” he said.

Tsubasa blinked. “No you won’t. You don’t know when to quit, don’t you! At the rate you’re going, you’re going to work yourself to death!”

“I know. I know. But this work…it isn’t going to do itself, you know?” he replied lamely.

Her eyes softened upon hearing the uncharacteristic drawl in his voice. It was then that she noticed the dark circles under her friend’s eyes. “Itsuki…have you been sleeping well?”

Silence.

“…Itsuki?”

The boy shook his head slowly. His eyes drifted away, unable to hold her gaze. “My mind keeps drifting back to that final battle…with Medeus...”

Tsubasa visibly tensed at the mention of the hideous creature’s name. Itsuki continued, his voice quieter with each word.

“I know we defeated it, and that it won’t come back ever again…but my mind keeps replaying the moment when…when I…”

Tsubasa interrupted him by reaching out and placing her hand on top of his. _You don’t have to continue._ Itsuki smiled sadly at her. Gently, he turned his hand up to intertwine their fingers. “I relive that memory each night. Except those times, Marth, he…never intervened.”

“Itsuki…”

“I was so close to losing everything, everyone that day. I don’t think—no, I don’t ever want to experience that again. But that dream…it never goes away. I see it almost every night.” A pause. “That’s why I been working for so long nowadays. It helps me take my mind off those things. But…it can only do so much.”

Tsubasa squeezed his hand. _Of course he had been affected by it. If she still suffered from that experience, how much worse would it be for him?_ “Itsuki…when I saw you that day…I was…I was terrified.” Her voice quivered as she fought the moisture building in her eyes. “A-and then…then I saw you lying there, completely still…and I-I-”

She felt a hand curl around her waist, gently pulling her to lean against him. She quickly suppressed the urge to squeak. “Shh…It’s okay. I’m still here. I’m alive,” she heard him say.

“Itsuki,” she sobbed, “you don’t get it, do you…? You…you almost _died._ And I was _s-so scared._ You were in so much pain and I thought you were going to die and then you almost did and if you did I don’t think I could find the strength to go on because I couldn't and still can’t imagine a life that you weren’t a part of!”

Itsuki’s eyes widened. _Did she just…?_ He shook his head, opting to let it slide for now, much to her relief. Gently, he reached out and swept a thumb over her tear-stained cheeks. Tsubasa gasped. This certainly was new. When had he become so…touchy? … _Oh well_. She closed her eyes. It didn’t matter either way; the feeling certainly wasn’t unpleasant. 

He pulled away shortly after and coughed, suddenly feeling very hot. “I--We should get going,” he muttered. Her eyes shot open. “Huh?”

“Don’t worry. I promise to take it easy now and then, okay?”

“I’m… _sniff…_ I’m glad. A-and if things get to be too much for you, know that we’re all here for you, you know? I think you’re letting all this President of Fortuna Entertainment stuff get to your head. It doesn’t matter what your responsibilities are; we’ll always be there to support you.”

“I know. I just…didn’t want to worry you.”

She shook her head. “Don’t get started on that. Medeus is something that I’m sure we all still struggle with. That’s why it’s important that we tell each other these things. So that we can help each other. You’ve helped me so much; without you, who knows where I would be today? So please, let me return the favour.”

“I will. I promise. Thank you Tsubasa. I appreciate it more than you know.” 

They spent the next few moments in comfortable silence. After glancing at the clock and noticing the time, Itsuki stood up and headed for the exit. A tug on his arm stopped him in his tracks. “Hmm? What is it?”

“I…I’m sorry Itsuki. But I have to do this while I still have the courage,” she said quietly. “That day…it opened my eyes. Life is short, and it could end at any time. Seeing you in that condition…it hurt me so much, and I knew that if you never woke up, I would never forgive myself. But you were given a second chance. And I…I was given a second chance too.”

Tsubasa stood up and turned to face him, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. Her heart pounded within her chest at a dangerously loud pace. This was it. _It’s all or nothing._ “Itsuki…over the years I’ve been trying to work up the courage to tell you. I’ve actually told you before, but…I guess I wasn’t direct enough; you can be quite…dense. But after what happened to you, I don’t think I can beat around the bush any longer. I have to put this to rest, no matter the outcome.” Tsubasa paused, taking a moment to calm herself. She quivered as the words left her mouth. “Itsuki…I—”

He cut her off before she could finish. “I know.”

Her cheeks darkened. “Eh?! Hey! You can’t just interrupt a girl like that!”

Itsuki wasn’t listening, apparently. “I love you too.”

Tsubasa froze, suddenly becoming quite faint. It took her more than a few moments to form anything coherent. “H-how did you…? Do you…a-actually mean it?”

He nodded slowly. “I guess dying opened my eyes a little, as silly as that sounds. It was in that moment that I realized just how much you meant to me. I was so afraid back then, not of death itself, but because I knew that if I died, I would never be able to see you again. There was so much I still wanted to say, so many memories I still wanted to make,” he said as he scratched his cheek. “Now that all of that’s over, it’s become clear to me. I think...I think I’ve…loved you for quite some time, Tsubasa. It just took me a really long time to realize it.”

Unable to control herself any longer, Tsubasa rushed forward and crashed into him. Her arms wound tightly around his back as she tucked herself into his embrace. “Y-you big dummy…do you know how long I’ve waited for you to hear that?” She hiccupped, leaning her head against his chest.

Itsuki chuckled and pulled her flush against him. “I’m sorry I made you wait,” he murmured as he buried his face into her hair. Tsubasa smiled against him, a fresh wave of tears slipping from her cheeks. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. For a while, they remained silent, each reveling in the comfort and warmth the other gave.

He was the one to break the silence. “Tsubasa?”

“Mmm?”

“You know…you never finished what you were going to say,” he stated matter-of-factly.

She looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow. “You interrupted.”

“Wha…?! H-hey!”

Tsubasa giggled. She leaned up and pecked his jaw. “I yove lou too, Itsuki.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to originally be a FEH x TMS fic, since that was what got me into the Itsuki/Tsubasa pairing, but then the FEH pass came out. Needless to say, that idea was scrapped quickly.


End file.
